There May Soon Be More Plastic in the Oceans Than Fish

Feb 1, 2016 | Views: 357

Environmental pollution is a worrying issue, and we have seen a continued worsening in the situation from the time this issue was first brought to public attention. Just recently I read this article that predicts that in less than 40 years, there will be more plastic bags in the ocean than there are fish!

It is important for all of us to reflect and be mindful of the consequences of our actions. For many, discarding a small piece of plastic in the drain may not look too harmful, but these pieces of plastic will make their way into larger water reserves. Just because the piece of plastic we discarded is out of sight doesn’t mean it does not bring harm to other beings. It is important for us to think beyond what’s in front of us.

I want to share this article to raise awareness about this issue. Although many people have actively stepped up to make a change for a better environment, real change can only happen if we all take responsibility to care for the environment by first changing our attitude and educating ourselves on the best and safest ways of garbage disposal. I hope you will share this article and help raise awareness about this issue in your own ways.

Tsem Rinpoche

There May Soon Be More Plastic in the Oceans Than Fish

By Gregory Barber | Fri Jan 29, 2016

Discarded plastic will outweigh fish in the world’s oceans by 2050, according to a report from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. That is, unless overfishing moves the date up sooner.

The study, a collaboration with the World Economic Forum, found that 32 percent of plastic packaging escapes waste collection systems, gets into waterways, and is eventually deposited in the oceans. That percentage is expected to increase in coming years, given that the fastest growth in plastic production is expected to occur in “high leakage” markets—developing countries where sanitation systems are often unreliable. The data used in the report comes from a review of more than 200 studies and interviews with 180 experts.

Since 1964, global plastic production has increased 20-fold—311 million tons were produced in 2014—and production is expected to triple again by 2050. A whopping 86 percent of plastic packaging is used just once, according to the report’s authors, representing $80 billion to $120 billion in lost value annually. That means not only more plastic waste, but more production-related oil consumption and carbon emissions if the industry doesn’t alter its ways.

The environmental impact of plastic waste is already staggering: For a paper published in October, scientists considered 186 seabird species and predicted that 90 percent of the birds—whose populations have declined by two-thirds since 1950—consume plastic. Plastic bags, which are surprisingly degradable in warmer ocean waters, release toxins that spread through the marine food chain—and perhaps all the way to our dinner tables.

Most of the ocean’s plastic, researchers say, takes the form of microplastics—trillions of beads, fibers, and fragments that average about 2 millimeters in diameter. They act as a kind of oceanic smog, clouding the waters and coating the sea floor, and look a lot like food to small marine organisms.

In December, President Barack Obama signed a law banning microbeads, tiny plastic exfoliaters found in toothpaste and skin products that get flushed into waterways. But the MacArthur report urges plastic producers to step up and address the problem by developing products that are reusable and easily recycled—and that are less toxic in nature—and working to make compostable plastics more affordable.

The 2050 prediction is based on the assumption that global fisheries will remain stable over the next three decades, but a report released last week suggests that may be wishful thinking. Revisiting fishery catch rates from the last 60 years, Daniel Pauly and Dirk Zeller of the University of British Columbia found that the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organization drastically underestimates the amount of fish we pluck from the seas. The United Nations relies on official government data, which often only captures the activities of larger fishing operations. When the British Columbia researchers accounted for smaller fisheries, subsistence harvesting, and discarded catches, they calculated catches 53 percent larger than previously thought.

There was a glimmer of hope in the findings, though: The researchers write that fishing rates, after peaking in 1996, declined faster than previously thought—particularly among large-scale industrial fisheries. Whether that trend will hold is another story.

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10 Responses to There May Soon Be More Plastic in the Oceans Than Fish

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TekLee on Nov 24, 2016 at 2:09 am

Thank you Rinpoche for sharing the article. It is indeed very worrying if human continue to pollute sea like that. Dolphin is one of the most intelligent animal in the world. It is really sad to hear that they suffer from human irresponsibility. 72% of earth is covered in water, if human doesn’t care about the environment and continue throwing rubbish into the sea, according to the chart, by 2050 we’ll be surrounded by dirty water, and all the living beings in the sea will be vanished. Sea and sea living beings play one of the main role in our life eco system, if the sea living was destroyed, it will cause a big impact in our eco system. Really hope more and more people out there learn about the gravity of sea pollution, and start to do something about our environment. We don’t want dolphins to extinct one day. _/\_

Just like what Lucas has commented, humans are parasites of this world. Yes, although this might seem harsh to certain people but this is the truth and the truth hurts. If you do not agree with what I said, then you should totally stop yourself and your friends from polluting the environment.

It is such a shame to know that the world is becoming a mess to live in. Imagine this, the Earth has existed for more than 4 billion years, living beings such as animals and plants have been here for the last 600 million years and they have kept the Earth clean with no pollution at all. But humans have only existed for only 6 million years and we are literally killing the Earth with our selfishness.

If we do not take care of the Earth well, it is going to fall apart and then we will have to say goodbye to our selfish human race.

Mankind has been abusing the environment for centuries mainly in the name of development. This is not to say hence we leave it as it is since we are living in the comfort provided by development. I don’t think when plastic was created, we foresaw what the impact to environment would be. The application and use for plastic simply escalated beyond our expectation.

As consumerism grows, inevitably so does waste. In the past decades, global warming and climate change were hot topics. Most people finally bought into it, that if we do not collectively as a species do something about it, we may lose our habitat faster than we can evolve. Environmental issues are not new, many of us who cared know something about climate change. For the more enthusiastic, we follow other concerning issues like radioactive contamination, extinct species, endangered ecosystems, etc. Not to be forgotten because it is not going away are the piles of waste that are growing around the world.

Waste management or garbage industry is fast becoming a ludicrous money making sector. More and more companies are making wealth out of waste. Greed and money has never served us well in human history. While these companies started out saving the environment from waste devastation, human greed may turn the favor against environment.

To counter this environmental degeneration, society as a whole has to be educated and habituated into greener and more eco-friendly lifestyle. This may take generations and we may never catch up with the pace we are destroying the planet. But it does need to start now and it starts with you.

When we flick that cigarette butt, that candy wrapper, that plastic bag we become part of the chain of events that lead to destroying nature.

It is very true that humans are ruining this planet. They kill it’s other inhabitants and they ruin the land and seas. Humans are a parasite to this world and that is the truth of the matter because there are so many things that they do to the planet that is so bad because they do not live for the future. They don’t think for the children or the next generation after that. The people that kill the planet are the lazy ones, the selfish ones and the ones that would make money through a polluting industry.

The common excuse I hear from people to stop me from complaining that they are eating meat is “it is only one piece/life, what is the difference?”. The people that that say that it is only a small thing are the ones that kill, the planet and other lives. Same like being vegetarian, every small bit counts. Every life eaten is “just one” but billions of “just ones” kills billions. It is the same with littering, “its just one bag, it won’t do that much”, then a billion bags are littered.

We are killing the planet. I wish all people could just see this. Every good bit counts too. If we don’t eat that piece of meat and if we don’t throw that plastic bag there is what can save us. because at the end of the day, every little bit counts and every step counts. So lets start.

It is certainly not a rumor nor is it untrue that we are polluting our rivers/seas/oceans everyday with our rubbish and it is really getting to be a serious problem now.

Plastics are basically chemicals in a more solid form and they can be really dangerous to animals in the sea as they might mistake it as food and swallow it which could lead to them suffocating.

As humans, we need to be more responsible with our actions.

We need to clean up after ourselves and make sure that we dispose our rubbish properly and not just be lazy and throw it in to the ocean/sea or likewise as innocent animals living in the sea could die because of our ignorance

Plastic in the oceans and rivers is a danger to fishes, waterbirds and other marine life. As a result of consuming plastic objects, they starve to death. Unless drastic measures are taken, especially in developing countries, it may be too late to save the planet.

Dear Rinpoche, thank you for sharing this article with us. It is very obvious that we humans are the most selfish organism on earth. Whatever we do is motivated by ego and we do not think about the consequences as long as we get what we want. We had been exploiting the earth’s resources and polluting the environment with all sorts of nonsense such as plastics and chemicals. Little to our knowledge that we are actually killing ourself very very slowly. We seems to forget that we need mother nature to live. We keep occupy ourselves with the advancement of technology and forgot about the basic needs to survive which is a clean and safe environment to live in.

Global warming and holes in the ozone layer are perfect examples of the damages we had done. These damages will soon worsen and we will have to suffer, or to be exact, our next generation will suffer. If everyone have a little dharma in their life, so that they will understand the importance of independent arising. The situation will be different as we will take care of each other and the environment around us as well. The world will be a different place.

We humans have been used to being irresponsible for most of our lives, but little did we know, even a small action such as littering contributes towards such a serious phenomenon. It’s serious not just because the oceans are filled with rubbish and it’s an eyesore to us, obviously these reasoning do not convince us.

We have read about how whales are trapped in fishing nets, how birds and turtles died because they accidentally consumed plastics and etc. To most of us, it doesn’t hurt for a few of them to die. But the death rates are increasing day after day, month after month, if we do not buck up now and do something about, it will reach a point where it’ll be too late for us to do something.

It is really sad to read the alarming statistic on how polluted the ocean has become and that it will eventually turn worse. There are many of types of ocean pollutants that endanger marine life, plastic waste is one of them. While some of them are more obvious than others, all contribute to a very unhealthy ocean and the death of its inhabitants. We may think that the death of the marine lives would be the end of the story. Well, no. Pollutants usually find their way to the sea bed where bottom feeding organisms reside. They ingest these chemicals and contaminates the food chain; the smaller fish is eaten by the larger fish, which is then eaten by human. As human consume the sea creatures laced with harmful chemical, toxins build up in the tissues of the people that lead to illnesses and short or long term health problems. It is a vicious cycle created by human that causes sufferings to other sentient beings, yet at the end of the day, human beings pay for the price.

Thank You Rinpoche for the informative blogpost that remind us to live simple, reduce waste and be a responsible citizen of the planet.

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Saturday, May 25. 2019 11:30 AM

Methar of Tengyeling Monastery

A gruelsome read of the cruelty that exist within the holiest office in Tibet. Ministers of the Dalai Lama are very much into the power and money game, without any other authority to stop their heinous actions. A sad fact of the power wielded by the office of the Dalai Lama.

An amazing lady who expertly cuts into paper to form collages of picture to tell stories of life. As a treasure of China, she left her legacy with her disciples to continue the art of paper cutting into new generations to come.

The Trode Khangsar is an important chapel dedicated to Dorje Shugden in Lhasa, Tibet. It was built by His Holiness the 5th Dalai Lama towards the end of the 17th Century. Dorje Shugden is an uncommon Dharma protector within Tibetan Buddhism, who is said to protect the Buddhist teachings in general and Nagarjuna’s Madhyamika (Middle Way) Philosophy as taught by Lama Tsongkhapa specifically. Lama Tsongkhapa was the founder of the great Gelug lineage. Dorje Shugden, in his previous incarnation as Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen, was a great scholar, meditator, teacher and contemporary of His Holiness the 5th Dalai Lama. After being murdered, Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen arose as Dorje Shugden in order to benefit countless sentient beings.

Tibetan ‘government-in-exile’ known as the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) was called to session and Tenpa Yarphel, a notable Member of the Tibetan Parliament (MP) spoke up about the need for Tibetans to be united. Specifically, Tenpa Yarphel bravely addressed a very thorny issue that most Tibetan policy makers have sidestepped for over 20 years, and that is the Dorje Shugden unethical ban that, by now, everyone knows has been very damaging to the fragile Tibetan unity. It is really refreshing to see a Tibetan MP speaking confidently about the realities faced by the Tibetans in exile, with the intention of moving forward to a better future instead of being stuck in myriad divisive policies that have really harmed the Tibetan polity and harmony.

Tenpa Yarphel is one of the heroes that will bring a different for Tibetan. More Tibetan like Tenpa Yarphel should participate and speak up. Tibetan need a change in their government and no longer to follow the old way as it’s proven it doesn’t work.

“I suppose now what I’m interested in is Nirvana, the Buddhist heaven. I don’t know much about it, or really understand it enough to explain it. George knows more.

Studying religion has made me try to improve relationships, not to be unpleasant. It’s not a conscious move to change my personality. Perhaps it is. I don’t know. I’m just trying to be how I want to be, and how I’d like others to be.

Drugs probably helped the understanding of myself better, but not much. Not pot. That just used to be a harmless giggle.”

The power of enlightened Dharma protectors comes from their enlightened nature, which is compassionate and wisdom-filled. On the deepest level, they represent our blissful awareness of emptiness in strong energetic forms – the best protection against obstacles. The Dharma protectors protect sincere spiritual practitioners who seek their higher selves, see the downfalls of materialism and other problems created by the human mind.

I personally have experienced the powers of Dorje Shugden much to my amazement for each request I make even of the minute ask is fulfilled sometimes immediately within the day of asking or several days to weeks depending on my extend of my life request.

His compassionate nature and swift powers are to be witnessed only by those who are willing to give the divine being a chance for him to connect with you and render help. Ask DS and you shall receive. I have!

If one single person can make such an immense positive contribution,imagine how the world could change for the better if only its population derives inspiration from this one man’s effort regardless of race, colour, creed, or belief.

Greed destroys, selflessness sustains both our existence and other living existence on this planet.

Ku Shulan is a inspiring women as i know and i realized this after reading this article. She doesn’t have a good marriage life but she has a very good talent in paper cutting. Even though she doesn’t have a good backbone, she still cuts vegetables for her family.

She is very creative and her creativity is known worldwide but her life didn’t change by that. She didn’t waste her life by worrying about her family situation but she get up by using her creativity. Thank you.

This story is very inspiring. By reading this article, i can understand that nothing is impossible in this universe. Youngsters should take this man as a role model not only for planting trees but for the confidence in him. Not only confidence, but even loaded of courage in him.

Plants are very important nowadays as we, humans, require oxygen to live. The confidence level in the man has influenced him to change the barren land to a place filled with thousand of various plants. Youngsters can take this inspiring story as their guidance for them to improve their live from nothing to become a topper.

Watch enlightening documentaries online! Into the Universe With Stephen Hawking – The Story Of Everything (2010) In two mind-blowing hours, Hawking reveals the wonders of the cosmos to a new generation. Delve into the mind of the worlds most famous living scientist and reveal the splendor and majesty of the universe as never seen before.

If you have listened to Tsem Rinpoche’s teachings or had the good fortune to meet him personally, you know that he has an irrepressible sense of humour. Rinpoche has a way of making people relax and have a really good laugh.

To do that, he uses his keen sense of observation and incredibly quick mind – nothing escapes his eyes. Some of the funniest moments are when Rinpoche mimics a student’s mannerisms or improvises scenarios that relate to the student’s expressions or reactions towards unpleasant situations or people. They are always spot on and pose a real danger of giving the audience belly-aching laughter.

Can you plant an entire forest by yourself? The answer is, yes! The fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, Padma Shri awardee Jadav “Molai” Payeng single-handedly transformed the barren land of Majuli in Assam into a dense forest by planting a sapling a day since 40 years ago. He started his mission to revive the once barren, sandy river banks of Majuli when he was 16 years old after a startling discovery. Numerous snakes were found dead on the sandy banks of Brahmaputra River after a life-threatening flood. The snakes died from heat due to the lack of shades.

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I must thank my dharma blog team who are great assets to me, Kechara and growth of dharma in this wonderful region. I am honoured and thrilled to work with them. I really am. Maybe I don't say it enough to them, but I am saying it now. I APPRECIATE THESE GUYS VERY MUCH!

Kyabje Zong Rinpoche Videos

Hear the holy voice of Kyabje Zong Rinpoche giving advice on the practice of Dorje Shugden to those who had received the life-entrustment initiation. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche wanted to make sure those present received the maximum benefits from their practice, and that they kept their practice well.LEARN MORE >>

In Tibetan Buddhism, it is always said that whatever we practice must come from an enlightened source to be beneficial in our spiritual journey. As such in this video, Kyabje Zong Rinpoche shares with us the history and reincarnation lineage of Dorje Shugden to explain how great this Dharma protector is through the examples of his previous lives, showing us his powerful spiritual attainments.LEARN MORE >>

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Dear everyone... This is a good condensed talk I gave on Guru Yoga of Tsongkapa. This is the one you should share with others when they are interested in a not too lengthy explanation. It is the perfect practice for everyone who wants simplicity yet effective blessings. You can share this with more people, it will be good.

External Articles

ANIMAL QUOTES

"If you say you don't have money to help a animal shelter, why then do you have money to buy meat?"

~ Tsem Rinpoche

"Eating animals is not our God-given right, but being kind to them is."

~ Tsem Rinpoche

"What makes us good humans is not how we abuse animals, but how much we allow them to live and be happy freely."

~ Tsem Rinpoche

"We need another and wiser and perhaps a more mythical concept of animals.... We patronize them for their incompleteness, for their tragic fate of having taken form so far below ourselves. And therein we err, and greatly err. For the animal shall not be measured by man. In a world older and more complex than ours they moved finished and complete, gifted with extensions of the senses we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never hear. They are not brethren, they are not underlings; they are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow prisoners of the splendour and travail of the earth."

~ Henry Beston, The Outermost House

"Not eating animals is only unnatural when we are not used to it."

~ Tsem Rinpoche

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES

"We may encounter defeat, but we must not be defeated."

~ Tsem Rinpoche

"What you are today, is the choice you made yesterday."

~ Tsem Rinpoche

"You think you can choose your life? What an ego trip!"

~ Lama Yeshe

"If TODAY you are dissatisfied, you must make the changes to create different results for TOMORROW."

~ Tsem Rinpoche

SPIRITUAL QUOTES

“Meditating on Dorje Shugden while reciting his mantra will open the gateways to higher dimensions, blessings and protection.”

~ Tsem Rinpoche

“If one does the recitation of the Lama Tsongkhapa guru yoga prayer for even one month using one of the visualizations for great or clear or quick wisdom, one will definitely see development of that wisdom. It is proved by experience. There is no doubt that by doing the Lama Tsongkhapa guru yoga practice one can meet Lama Tsongkhapa’s teachings from life to life. And furthermore, it gives one the opportunity to be born in the pure realm of Lama Tsongkhapa, Tushita, whenever death happens.”

~ Pabongkha Rinpoche

"I was 18 years old in 1983. That was a very special year as I met His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche and received innumerable precious teachings and empowerments from Him at Thubten Dhargye Ling Centre in Los Angeles, California. It was the best time of my life. A time that seems so magical and surreal to me. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche is Heruka Buddha and I met Heruka."

~ Tsem Rinpoche

"If being me offends you, maybe I'm not the problem."

~ Tsem Rinpoche

"Never abandon your spiritual teacher no matter how many inner obstacles you need to overcome."

~ Tsem Rinpoche

"Actions to force something to be permanent makes all the karmas arise."

~ Tsem Rinpoche

"The dharma is not easy to listen to… because some people take it as criticism. But Dharma should not be just feel good only for the moment but for deeper contemplations."

~ Tsem Rinpoche

"Whether we do work and suffer but for others or we do work and suffer for ourselves, either way we have to suffer. That is the nature of samsara. So let us suffer for others and then suffering has meaning."

~ Tsem Rinpoche

"Those who really want the dharma to grow within themselves and to grow for others should never fear hard work, timing, difficulties, struggles, disappointments because it is for a good cause. Working for Dharma is not a prison or work, but it is purely spiritual practice. It is purely collection of merit and purification. Actually not doing dharma work is the real prison."

~ Tsem Rinpoche

"His Holiness Zong Rinpoche stressed the need to continue to practice even when we come up against obstacles, and that we should continually review our progress. He stated that a happy, luxurious life was like a good dream, and that obstacles and difficulties were like a bad dream. We should give them no significance, but simply carry on working towards real, everlasting happiness."

LIFE QUOTES

"I pity men who occupy themselves exclusively with the transitory in things and lose themselves in the study of what is perishable, since we are here for this very end-that we may make the perishable imperishable, which we can do only after we have learned how to approach both."

~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

"Money amplifies negative characteristics and that can cause problems.
To walk away from that was actually very easy. I didn't even consider it."

~ Angeline Francis Khoo

"I shall not commit the fashionable stupidity of regarding everything I cannot explain as a fraud."

~ Carl Jung

"There is a devil there is no doubt, but is he trying to get into us or trying to get out?"

~ Tsem Rinpoche

"If you love someone, show it by being honest, respectful & honorable with them."

~ Tsem Rinpoche

"It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see."

~ Henry David Thoreau

"If I can just be the way I am & you the way you are & we accept each other, world peace is near."

~ Tsem Rinpoche

"I am Asian, you are some other beautiful color. Together we make diversity so beautiful."

~ Tsem Rinpoche

"It's amazing how some people have never met me or know who I am, but based on a few things they read here & there & rumours, they have formulated a new personality for me & all the things I've never done they passionately speak about....I find it funny and entertaining now. I guess we can't spend our lives fighting rumours...we just have to work hard & then rumours get proven wrong on it's own as a by product. No point explaining repeatedly. Just do our work & show results!!"

~ Tsem Rinpoche

"There's a difference between patience and laziness. Patience comes from respect while laziness from disrespect of others."

~ Tsem Rinpoche

"Although outwardly we have so much, we have so many conveniences, inwardly we have become more unhappy, so, acquisition is not the secret to happiness. The more we get, the more we have, the more unhappy we become."

~ Tsem Rinpoche

"Before we experience any pain, we already had a fixed view of how things should be. When the experience we encounter contradicts our views, then the pain arises. The pain arises due to our fixed views not so much the experience itself. So the secret is changing the views. Re-educating ourselves on our views."

~ Tsem Rinpoche

"You know since very young, for better or worse, I always did the things that others told me not to do. I wasn't really good at following the rules. Even now with how I share Dharma and my practice, I just do it the way I think it should be done but I do it sincerely. Not what others tell me what I can and can't do."

~ Tsem Rinpoche

"Love me or hate me, both are in my favor... If you love me, I'll always be in your heart... If you hate me, I'll always be in your mind."

~ William Shakespeare

"One isn't necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can't be kind, true, merciful, generous or honest."

~ Maya Angelou

Devotional Songs

Sung by Mary Fewel Tulin, these mystical songs in praise of the guru originate from the Sikh tradition. Yet, they are applicable to all traditions for those who want to venerate their guru.

The Unknown

The Known and unknown are both feared,
Known is being comfortable and stagnant,
The unknown may be growth and opportunities,
One shall never know if one fears the unknown more than the known.
Who says the unknown would be worse than the known?
But then again, the unknown is sometimes worse than the known. In the end nothing is known unless we endeavour,
So go pursue all the way with the unknown,
because all unknown with familiarity becomes the known.
~Tsem Rinpoche

Photos On The Go

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2 days ago

My Dharma boy (left) and Oser girl loves to laze around on the veranda in the mornings. They enjoy all the trees, grass and relaxing under the hot sun. Sunbathing is a favorite daily activity. I care about these two doggies of mine very much and I enjoy seeing them happy. They are with me always. Tsem Rinpoche
Always be kind to animals and eat vegetarian- https://bit.ly/2Psp8h2

4 days ago

After you left me Mumu, I was alone. I have no family or kin. You were my family. I can't stop thinking of you and I can't forget you. My bond and connection with you is so strong. I wish you were by my side. Tsem Rinpoche

6 days ago

This story is a life-changer. Learn about the incredible Forest Man of India | 印度“森林之子”- https://bit.ly/2Eh4vRS

1 week ago

Part 2-Beautiful billboard in Malaysia of a powerful Tibetan hero whose life serves as a great inspiration- https://bit.ly/2UltNE4

1 week ago

Part 1-Beautiful billboard in Malaysia of a powerful Tibetan hero whose life serves as a great inspiration- https://bit.ly/2UltNE4

1 week ago

The great Protector Manjushri Dorje Shugden depicted in the beautiful Mongolian style. To download a high resolution file: https://bit.ly/2Nt3FHz

2 weeks ago

The Mystical land of Shambhala is finally ready for everyone to feast their eyes and be blessed. A beautiful post with information, art work, history, spirituality and a beautiful book composed by His Holiness the 6th Panchen Rinpoche. ~ https://bit.ly/309MHBi

Mongolian (Oymiakon) Shaman in Siberia, Russia. That is his real outfit he wears. Very unique. TR

3 weeks ago

Find one of the most beautiful temples in the world in Nara, Japan. It is the 1,267 year old Todai-ji temple that houses a 15 meter Buddha Vairocana statue who is a cosmic and timeless Buddha. Emperor Shomu who sponsored this beautiful temple eventually abdicated and ordained as a Buddhist monk. Very interesting history and story. One of the places everyone should visit- https://bit.ly/2VgsHhK

Silver Manjusri figure from Ngemplak Semongan (Indonesia). Apparently during the Shailendra Dynasty, Mahayana Buddhism was very strong in Indonesia. This Dynasty promoted Mahayana Buddhism and Manjushri was a principal Buddha of worship.

There is an area near Lumbini, Nepal, they have sightings of Yeti for hundreds of years. So they have signages in the area with Yeti artwork to highlight this. Interesting. TR

3 weeks ago

Photos of footprints (Yeti) are from a high altitude pass (Darwa Pass) connecting Gangotri valley to Yamunotri valley through old pilgrim route.

3 weeks ago

Beautiful picture. Rare. Three holy beings.

3 weeks ago

May 1, 2019-I really enjoy this picture of these visitors visiting Dorje Shugden's grotto in Kechara Forest Retreat today. They look happy, light and blessed after doing their prayers to Dorje Shugden. I wanted to share this picture.- https://bit.ly/2UltNE4

4 weeks ago

A postcard of my great grand aunt Princess Nirgidma of Torghut-Tsem Rinpoche

This poor boy is being forced to leave his friend to be sold for slaughter. Children have a natural connection with animals, and they know it is wrong to hurt and kill them. Children lose this connection by being indoctrinated (brainwashed) by their parents/peers into believing animals are here to be exploited, killed, and eaten.- from Lucinda Smyth FB page

1 month ago

Some people really struggle and put in so much effort in their lives. Amazing. Tsem Rinpoche

1 month ago

18th Century Mongolian made Namgyalma statue. Very artistic. Very beautiful. Usually her arms are 'all over the place' but this one is so artistically placed and poised. Tsem Rinpoche

1 month ago

My mother Ms. Dewa Nimbo came out with a new book. I am happy for her. Tsem Rinpoche

Videos On The Go

Please click on the images to watch video

4 weeks ago

Our Malaysian Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir speaks so well, logically and regarding our country’s collaboration with China for growth. It is refreshing to listen to Dr. Mahathir’s thoughts. He said our country can look to China for many more things such as technology and so on. Tsem Rinpoche

4 weeks ago

This is the first time His Holiness Dalai Lama mentions he had some very serious illness. Very worrying. This video is captured April 2019.

These people going on pilgrimage to a holy mountain and prostrating out of devotion and for pilgrimage in Tibet. Such determination for spiritual practice. Tsem Rinpoche

2 months ago

Beautiful new casing in Kechara for Vajra Yogini. Tsem Rinpoche

2 months ago

Get ready to laugh real hard. This is Kechara’s version of “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane!” We have some real talents in this video clip.

2 months ago

Recitation of Dorje Dermo‘s mantra or the Dharani of Glorious Vajra Claws. This powerful mantra is meant to destroy all obstacles that come in our way. Beneficial to play this mantra in our environments.

We were told by Uncle Wong he is very faithful toward Dorje Shugden. Dorje Shugden has extended help to him on several occasions and now Uncle Wong comes daily to make incense offerings to Dorje Shugden. He is grateful towards the help he was given.

Trijang Rinpoche never gave up his devotion to Dorje Shugden no matter how much Tibetan government in exile pressured him to give up. He stayed loyal inspiring so many of us.

5 months ago

Very rare video of His Holiness Panchen Rinpoche the 10th, the all knowing and compassionate one. I pay deep respects to this attained being who has taken many rebirths since the time of Lord Buddha to be of benefit to sentient beings tirelessly. Tsem Rinpoche

5 months ago

This bigfoot researcher gives good reasonings on bigfoot. Interesting short video.

5 months ago

His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche of Gaden Shartse Monastery was one of the teachers of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. Here in this beautiful video is Geshe Kelsang Gyatso showing his centre to Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, then proceeding to sit down to receive teachings. For more information- https://bit.ly/2QNac1u

6 months ago

Tsem Rinpoche’s dog, Oser girl always sits on Rinpoche’s chair. When Rinpoche’s other dog, Dharma tries to get into the chair, he is chased away. Oser is the boss. She is possessive. Cute.

6 months ago

Lama Yeshe talks about how to practice at the beginning and at the end of each day during teachings given in London during the Lamas’ first European teaching tour in 1975. Lama Yeshe was a brilliant teacher and I wanted to share this with everyone so his teachings can reach more people. Tsem Rinpoche

6 months ago

Our beautiful Dorje Shugden shop in the busiest part of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Many tourists visit our store and this area.

6 months ago

Living off the grid in Australia

A Jill Redwood is a jack of all trades, Jill built her own house on her property and lives entirely off the grid with no mains power or town water, mobile reception or television. Living on around $80 a week, Jill has over sixty animals to keep her company and an abundant garden that out serves as an organic supermarket right at her doorstep. Her main expenses are animal feed and the rates on her property. Watch this incredible three minute video and be inspired to live differently.

6 months ago

Kyabje Dagom Choktrul Rinpoche offering gold on a 350 year-old Dorje Shugden statue in his chapel in Lhasa. This is how Tibetans show homage and pay respect to a holy image. This chapel and statue of Dorje Shugden in Lhasa dedicated to Dorje Shugden was built by the Great 5th Dalai Lama. Tsem Rinpoche

This video is thought-provoking and very interesting. Watch! Thanks so much to our friends at LIVEKINDLY.

2 yearss ago

Chiropractic CHANGES LIFE for teenager with acute PAIN & DEAD LEG.

2 yearss ago

BEAUTIFUL PLACE IN NEW YORK STATE-AMAZING.

2 yearss ago

Leonardo DiCaprio takes on the meat Industry with real action.

2 yearss ago

Do psychic mediums have messages from beyond?

2 yearss ago

Lovely gift for my 52nd Birthday. Tsem Rinpoche

2 yearss ago

This 59-year-old chimpanzee was refusing food and ready to die until...

she received “one last visit from an old friend” 💔💔

2 yearss ago

Bigfoot sighted again and made it to the news.

2 yearss ago

Casper is such a cute and adorable. I like him.

2 yearss ago

Dorje Shugden Monastery Amarbayasgalant Mongolia's Ancient Hidden Gem

2 yearss ago

Don't you love Hamburgers? See how 'delicious' it is here!

2 yearss ago

Such a beautiful and powerful message from a person who knows the meaning of life. Tsem Rinpoche

2 yearss ago

What the meat industry figured out is that you don't need healthy animals to make a profit.

Sick animals are more profitable... farms calculate how close to death they can keep animals without killing them.
That's the business model.
How quickly they can be made to grow, how tightly they can be packed, how much or how little can they eat, how sick they can get without dying...
We live in a world in which it's conventional to treat an animal like a block of wood.
~ Jonathan Safran Foer

2 yearss ago

This video went viral and it's a must watch!!

2 yearss ago

SEE HOW THIS ANIMAL SERIAL KILLER HAS NO ISSUE BLUDGEONING THIS DEFENSELESS BEING.

This happens daily in slaughterhouse so you can get your pork and Bak ku teh. Stop eating meat.

ASK A PASTOR

A section for you to clarify your Dharma questions with Kechara’s esteemed pastors.

Just post your name and your question below and one of our pastors will provide you with an answer.

Scroll down and click on "View All Questions" to view archived questions.

pastor answered:Dear Ernest，
The five precepts are the five basic Buddhist code of ethics:
1. to refrain from killing or taking life
2. to refrain from stealing or taking what is not given
3. to refrain from sexual miscondut
4. to refrain from lying or false speech
5. to refrain from intoxicants that clouds the mind.
If we break any of the vow, what we can do is we apply the Four opponent powers which is we regret it (Power of Regret), we rely on the Three Jewel (Power of Reliance), we apply the remedy (Power of Remedy) such as recitation of Sutras or Mantras, purification practices like Vajrasattva practice, 35 Confessional Buddhas etc, and we promise not to do it again (Power of Restraint). Then we can retake the Five Precepts again.
Regarding sexual misconduct, the key concept is not to hurt anyone just to satisfy your own sensual pleasure. For example, if you are married yet you have an external affair, it's considered sexual misconduct. If you are forcing someone to have sex with you, it's sexual misconduct etc. Sexual relationship between boyfriend and girlfriend or those who love each other is not a sexual misconduct.
Recommended reading: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/students-friends/vows-the-roots-of-all-attainments.html

pastor answered:Dear John,
Dear
I am not sure about the practice you mentioned. However I did read about a negative karma cleansing mantra "OM HANU PAHASHA BHARA HE YE SOHA". It is said that just by seeing the mantra in Tibetan, one can purify 100,000 eons of negative karma.
Here is the Tibetan mantra:
༄༄།།ཨོཾཧནུཔཧཤབྷརཧེཡེསྭཱཧཱ།།

pastor answered:Dear Dewa Zangpo,
For laymen, sexual misconduct or “wrong sensual indulgence” is karmically harmful behavior which also means engaging in sexual activities that might be harmful to others or ourselves. Therefore, to abstain from sexual misconduct means to not have sex with a non-consenting individual (as in rape, coercion, or fraud) or consensual sex with anyone under protection. This means any dependent supported by parents, guardians, the community, state, or a spouse or fiancee.
“Sexual misconduct” is actually a broad term, and it's subject to culture and customs, therefore I shall say the basis is not to cause harm, hurtful feelings to anyone when engaging in the said activities.
Recommended reading: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/external-article/what-is-sexual-misconduct

pastor answered:Dear Parth,
Thanks for the question. In order to engage in any tantric practice, we must first receive initiation from our guru as the permission to start the practice. Our guru will decide if we are eligible to receive the tantric initiation based on his observation on us because the success of a tantric practice is not so much depending on a guru but more on the correct mental attitude of a student.
Just like what Lama Yeshe explained in one of his book: "“Initiation does not mean that a guru gives you some incredible power. You already have the qualities of profound wisdom and great bliss within you; initiation simply activates them." Our guru will decide if we are ready for the activation to take place. Therefore if we engage in any tantric activity without the permission of a guru, we are doing it prematurely. Not only will it not bring us any benefit, but it will create obstacle for us in the future too. Of course, the magnitude of the karma is also affected by our motivation ie if we did it unknowingly or intentionally.
To purify the karma, we can engage in the powerful Vajrasattva practice. It is said by Vajrasattva practice and it's meditation together with four opponent powers, we can purify even root downfalls of the tantric vows, which is very difficult to purify. If we can purify the root downfalls of the tantric vows, definitely the lower vows such as the ten non-virtuous acts that we should avoid, will be purified too.
You can read more about Vajrasattva practice here:
An important purification practice
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/prayers-and-sadhanas/an-important-purification-practice.html

pastor answered:Dear Jordano,
Thank you for visiting tsemrinpoche.com. I hope you enjoy reading the articles on this blog and benefited from the teachings here. Ask A Pastor section is a platform for us to discuss and share Dharma knowledge, you are welcome to post dharma related questions here, and our pastors will try their best to give you an answer, however we apologize that we don't provide any translation service here. Perhaps you can get the relevant service from other Tibetan language websites. Thank you.

pastor answered:Dear Javinder Singh,
Thank you for being not sectarian, this is a correct and beautiful attitude that everyone should embrace especially those who claim to be spiritual. Our planet earth would be a more peaceful place to live in if there are no inter-religious conflicts. I agree with you that Buddhism is direct and offer explanations, that's also the main reason I end up becoming a Buddhist after years of being sceptical about religions. Regarding brahmacharya, if I understand correctly, it's to refrain ourselves from indulging in sexual activities. I believe it's not easy to be accepted by the majority however I think the key is we ourselves practice the real dharma and set a good example, then our words will bear more weight in the future if our ultimate aim is to benefit others.
I believe you will like this article: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/inspiration-worthy-words/dharma-is-for-everyone.html

pastor answered:Dear CY Wong,
Buddhas always manifest in different forms to help sentient beings with different needs. Dorje Shugden is the wrathful emanation of Buddha Manjushri. As an enlightened protector, Dorje Shugden too exhibits the same qualities as buddhas. There are five families of Dorje Shugden, which includes the principle deity, Shize (pacification), Gyenze (increase), Wangze (control) and Trakze (wrathful), each represents different activities of Dorje Shugden.
Wangze is the control form of Dorje Shugden. When we propitiate Wangze, we invoke Dorje Shugden’s activity of control. However, that does not mean that this manifestation of Dorje Shugden is limited to only control activity and cannot assist in other ways. Any form of Dorje Shugden is complete in itself.
Therefore, either you pray to the principle deity of Dorje Shugden or Wangze, you are actually praying to Dorje Shugden, but praying to Wangze will invoke Dorje Shugden's special activity of control.
It's up to you to choose whichever practice you want to do. However, if your main focus is to deal with difficult people who create obstacles in your workplace, Wangze is an excellent choice.
To answer your second question, if you take Wangze as your practice, then, of course, it's natural for you to wear Wangze image and vice versa. However, there's nothing wrong to wear any one of them, as both are Dorje Shugden.
This is the link to Wangze practice:
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/dorje-shugden-wangze-for-power-and-influence.html

CHAT PICTURES

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3 hours ago

Students making soap by themselves during WOAH Camp. Lin Mun KSDS

3 hours ago

So happy that young children can engage in dharma practise at the very young age. Lin Mun KSDS

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